This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Protective helmets are used in a variety of sporting and racing activities, in addition to military duty, to assist in protecting the wearer's head from impact related injuries. Such protective helmets are most commonly used in sporting activities such as, for example without limitation, football, hockey, lacrosse, cycling and baseball. Likewise, protective helmets are used in both on-road and off-road racing activities such as, for example without limitation, stock car and open-wheel racing, drag-racing, motorcycle racing, moto-cross racing and go-cart racing.
A primary function of protective helmets is to protect the wearer from head injuries associated with high impact forces that may be sustained during the above-noted sporting and racing activities. Conventional protective helmets consist of a rigid outer shell and an impact damping or cushioning assembly disposed between the outer shell and the wearer's head. Many known damping assemblies utilize a compressible material to absorb and dissipate the impact force. Typically, such compressible materials have included pressurized air, viscous gel-like mediums, foam or a combination thereof.
While such conventional protective helmets perform satisfactorily for their intended purpose, recent awareness regarding the detrimental long-term effects that head impacts may have on athletes, particularly football and hockey players, has led to a need for continued development of improved impact damping technology. Accordingly, there is a recognized need in the art to design and develop alternative technologies that advance the protection afforded to those wearing a protective helmet.